Simone Bridges' guide for kids eating in San Francisco

April 3, 2015April 23, 2015

Liholiho Yacht Club (Nob Hill)

Ratings:

Kid Foodie Review:

Aloha! Last night was Wednesday Grandpa Party Night so I headed to the Liholiho Yacht Club for some delicious Hawaiian food with my family! Grandpa and I both wore green and I brought my orange notebook. I got to sit right by a brick wall in a big booth where I could watch the chefs as they cooked my dinner, which was awesome! Our server was super nice to me and she brought me a huge selection of crayons and paper. The chefs were really busy and fun to watch–I waved at them a few times and the head chef gave me a thumbs up! There was no kids menu, but I saw popcorn on the adult menu! It turned out to be a little too spicy for me, so mom and dad let me play with an iPhone until my short-ribs arrived because the first courses were not really my style. I loved the short-ribs and ate them really fast. I also ate a lot of my dad’s twice cooked pork belly–one of my favorites. I really liked the pineapple on the pork belly too–just like Hawaii! One of the best parts of the night was meeting a future kid foodie–Julien–who was checking out the scene even though he was only 6 weeks old! Overall, this Kid Foodie gives exciting, delicious Liholiho two and a half bridges.

Mom’s Review (for what it’s worth):

Liholiho is a fantastic restaurant with a super talented and creative chef, a lively bar scene, and a great drink menu! I was blown away by the inventive appetizers and over-the-top delectable meats! We started with the popcorn, which was too spicy for Kid Foodie, but a fun way to start the night for the adults. We moved on to the gold beets, asparagus caeser, and marinated squid. Each dish was creative and heaped with amazing vegetables. I particularly loved the gold beets prepared with a delicious shiso ranch and lots of sunflower seeds. The marinated squid was colorful and fresh and I ate every bite. Next we dove into the grilled shortribs with escargot, the twice cooked pork belly, and the cornish game hen. Every single dish was spectacular! The meats were tender and juicy with great sauces and even more vegetables. The shortribs were extremely rich and comforting and the cornish game hen was fried to perfection with blooming kale to compliment it. Kid Foodie really loved the sweat and savory pineapple pork belly. Overall, Liholiho surprised us with its complexity, genius use of vegetables, and fun scene! I can’t wait to go back.

The adults all agreed that this is a place to return to. Parents, take note though–there is no kid menu and the first part of the meal was difficulty for Kid Foodie to navigate. Although she loved the meat entrees, the appetizers were a bit too complex for her and she did not love all of the sauces. Having said that, it was a lively and fun environment with super friendly staff who were excited to have a kid walk in. Don’t be afraid to take kids here (kids will love to watch the busy chefs at work!) just keep in mind that you might have to hunt around for a kid-pleasing starter and you may want to skip to the main course for kids who aren’t up for adventure that night.